Netflix planning more interactive stories ala ‘Bandersnatch’ for better or worse

Is Bandersnatch a movie? An interactive narrative? A video game? We can debate the ontology forever, but one thing is certain. Netflix is planning more content in its vein for the streaming service.

Futurism:

In December, Netflix released Bandersnatch, a choose-your-own-adventure style episode of its hit dystopian sci-fi series “Black Mirror.”

Based on the positive response to that episode, Netflix’s VP of product Todd Yellin has now announced the company’s intentions to make interactive storytelling a more regular part of its programming — a sign that the future of entertainment could put more control in viewers’ hands.

Doubling Down

On Tuesday, Yellin delivered a keynote presentation at a media and entertainment conference in India during which he shared plans for more interactive Netflix programming.

“[Bandersnatch is] a huge hit here in India, it’s a huge hit around the world, and we realized, wow, interactive storytelling is something we want to bet more on,” he told the audience, according to a report by Variety. “We’re doubling down on that. So expect over the next year or two to see more interactive storytelling.”

Pick Your Poison

As for the kinds of interactive Netflix stories viewers can expect, that’s still up in the air.

“[I]t won’t necessarily be science fiction, or it won’t necessarily be dark,” Yellin said, according to Variety. “It could be a wacky comedy. It could be a romance, where the audience gets to choose — should she go out with him or him.”